Switch-point protector.



v No. 764408. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904.

J. I. BREWER. SWITCH POINT PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27, 1904 N0 MODEL- 2 SHEETS-BHEET 1.

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Cl B I- WITNESSES: A INVENTOR 02 4 4 I Jesse I. fir e No. 764,108. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904.

J. I. BREWER. I

SWITCH POINT PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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M 64 Jesse Brewer. M w. y

INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES Patented July 5, 1904.

JESSE I. BREWER, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

SWITCH-POINT PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,108, dated July 5, 1904.

Application filed January 2'7, 1904. Serial No. 190,765. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J EssE 1. BREWER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Point Protectors, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in switch-point protectors or guards for railway switches or turnouts, and comprises features, parts, and combinations thereof which will be defined in the claims terminating this specilication.

The object of my invention is to improve and simplify the construction and operation of such devices.

The drawings accompanyingherewith illustrate my invention embodied in forms which are now preferred by me.

Figure 1 shows in plan view a switch or turnout having my invention combined therewith. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation through my guard-rail and a track-rail and showing a switch-point; and Figs. 3, e, 5, and 6 are views similar to Fig. 2, but showing structures differing therefrom and from each other in details of construction.

My invention will be of special value where heavy trains or cars are run at considerable speed over switches or turnouts. The type of switch in general use for heavy traflic and on the large railroad systems is that in which the switch-rail is movable at one end and is usually known as the split switch from the fact that the switch-rail or the head of the switch-rail is tapered to a narrow width or feather-edge at its movable end, about onequarter inch seeming to be the thickness of switch-point which is in general use. To perform its function of switching, the movable end or point of the switch or point of the switch-rail fits against and is in contact with the same side of the main rail as that against which the flange of the wheel acts, and this thin point of the switch-rail thus coming between the main rail and the flange of the wheel leads the flange of the wheel away from the main rail, and thereby leads the wheel onto the other track.

The thin ends of the switcha'ails deteriorate rapidly by breaking and Wearing away due to the impact and pressure from the wheelflanges. The outer switch-rail of the turnout usually suflers more than the switch-rail on the other side of the track from the fact that in passing around a curve the wheels of acar are thrown by centrifugal force against the outer rail, or rather it is the pressure of the outer rail against the flange of the wheel which diverts the wheel from the one track to the other. Such switch-rails are expensive because of the amount of Work required to shape them, and their time of service is limited almost entirely by the condition ofa comparatively short length of the thin movable end. Also their frequent replacement is an item of cost for labor as well as a source of more or less interruption to the movement of trains or cars, While the maintenance of switch-rails in good condition is necessary because a badlyworn or broken switch-point causes danger of derailment of the train or car. My device is intended to guard or protect the thin movable ends or points of these switch-rails against the action of the wheel-flanges.

The device consists of a guard-rail G (see Fig. 1) on the side of the main rail A opposite from the switch and from the flange w of the Wheel W and extending along the track R a short distance in each direction from the movable end a of the switch-rail in a position parallel or approximately parallel to the main rail R or at any suitable angle with the main rail and having the head of the said guard-rail extending slightly abovethe head of the main rail in such manner as to come into contact with the side of the wheel opposite from the Wheel-flange for a short distance when the Wheel passes the switch. In order to prevent the wheel from striking against the extreme end of said guard-rail, the guard-rail at each of its ends is flared away from the main rail, as shown at g, preferably by bending, or otherwise it can be done by beveling or chamfering off each end of the guard-rail on the side with which the wheel comes into contact. Said guard-rail is to be firmly secured in a normally rigid or fixed position as to the main rail, as by bolts E, by fastening to the main rail alone or to the ties and the road-bed alone,

or to both rail and ties by such usual means as the use of bolts or lag-screws or spikes, or all. it is preferable that the said guard-rail be fastened to the ties or road-bed by the use of bolts, lag-screws, or spikes, and also secured to the main rail by the use of bolts through the said guard-rail and through the main rail, as through the web of each, with filling-blocks D D, 620., between said guard-rail and main rail to hold the guard-rail in a rigid position and to gage its distance from the main rail, and that said guard-rail be braced in the usual manner of bracing rails by a suitable brace B, fitting against the guard-rail and secured to the ties or road-bed byspikes S. Said guardrail may be used as non-adjustable for wear caused by the wheels; but it is preferable that the guard-rail on account of such wear by the wheels be made adjustable as to distance from the main rail by such usual means as the use of liners in the said filling-blocks or by having the said filling-blocks consist of two wedgeshaped sections IYD, grooved on their faces, which fit together, so as to prevent slipping, wherein adjustability is obtained by sliding the said wedge-shaped sections past each other. The said guard-rail would usually be applied to protect the switch-point of the outside rail of the turnout; but it may also be applied to protect-the switch-point on the opposite side of the track, or said guard-rails may be applied to protect both switch-points simultaneously. It is obvious that the action of the said guard-rail is such as to receive-the impact of the wheel on the side of the wheel opposite from the wheel-flange, thereby holding the flange of the wheel entirely free from the thin movable end a of the switch-rail for a short distance up to a point a, where the switch-rail is somewhat thicker and stronger, and thus practically relieving entirely the short distance at the movable end of the switch-rail from the impact and wear of the wheel-flange or to receive the impact of the wheel at the same time the flange of the wheel comes into contact with the point of the switch-rail, thereby partially relieving the switch-point from the impact and wear of the wheel-flange. It is preferable that the said guard-rail should be so gaged as to distance from the main rail as to hold the wheel-flange entirely free from the switchrail for a short distance up to a point a, where the switch-rail is thicker and stronger than at the extreme end (t. Then when the guard-rail has worn from-pressure of the wheel until the wheel-flange bears too much upon the switchrail the guard-rail can be adjusted closer to the main rail by meansof the adjustable filling-blocks hcreinbefore mentioned, thus again relieving the switch-point from the impact and wear of the wheel-flange. It is also evident that the action of the said guard-rail is such as to insure that the wheel shall pass the switch with more safety, for the reason that the guard-rail will tend to prevent the wheelflange from entering between the main rail and the switch-point in case the switcl1point should for any reason when closed against the main rail not fit closely to the main rail, and it is also clear that the use of two such guardrails applied one for each switch-point of a turnout will tend to hold the wheels central with the track, and thus insure that the wheels shall pass the switch with more safety, as above set forth. The said guardrail can be applied at comparatively little cost, since the device is in itself extremely simple and also in that its application requires little or practically no change in the track. A feature of special importance is that even after the said guard-rail has worn to such an extent that the flange of wheel impinges on the switch-rail at its extreme movable end orpoint the switch-point will wear more slowly than if the guard-rail were absent, for'the reason that the switchpoint and the guard-rail-must wear simultaneously; also, excessive Wear on the said guardrail does not in itself render the track into a d angerous condition or impair inany manner the action of the switch or turnout. The worst rcsult that can come from such excessive wear of the said guard-rail is to leave the track in practically the same condition as if the guard-rail were not applied. Thus failure promptly to adjust or to replace the guard-rail cannot be 9 a source of danger. The said guard-rail can be made of such section-as is most desirable or suitable in each case, its essential features being a head so formed as suitably to receive the impact and wear of the wheel and a suitable form of web and base to-facilitate fastening and bracing to the main rail and to the ties.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the guard-rail G is of section the same as or similar to that of the main rail and is supported in elevated position by base-blocks F and is held in a normally fixed relation to the main rail by filling-blocks l) and bolts E. Braces B, fastened bybolts or spikes S, engaging ties T or otherwise secured to the road-bed, are preferably also employed to securely hold the guard-rail in place.

In Fig. 3 a modified construction is shown in section. This shows the guard-rail as of special section, having a head or bulb G on the web forming the wearing-surface and having the base G resting directly on the ties T or otherwise supported from the road-bed. Braces B are preferably secured against the guard-rail to withstand the pressure of the wheels. The filling-blocks are shown as composed of sections 1,)11)", having spacing-washers (Z between them, by adjusting which the wearing-surfacc of the guard-rail may be ad'- justed toward or from the main rail. I have shown the braces B as secured by spikes S into the tie. Any means for securing these maybe employed.

In Fig. 4 another construction is shown, in which the guard-rail consists of an ordinary bar with a head or wearing-bar g bolted or riveted to the upstanding leg of said anglebar.

In Fig. 5 is shown a construction in which the guard-rail G" is of a Z-bar section, having a wearing-bar or head 9 bolted or riveted to the upper horizontal flange. This figure also shows spacing-blocks D I), having their contacting surfaces beveled or cut on an angle and toothed. By shifting these sections past each other the distance of the guardrail from the main rail may be adjusted.

In Fig. 6 is shown a construction in which the guard-rail G* is rolled or cast as an integral part of the main rail R Either of the filling-blocks herein described or any suitable type of filling-block may be used in connection with any section of guardrailthat may be employed or that is herein described. The said guard-rail may be made of any material, but would usually or preferably be made of a good quality of iron or steel, such quality of steel as is generally used in rails. The height which the head of said guard-rail should extend above the head of the main rail is about one and one-half or two inches; but this dimension may be varied to suit. It is evident that many variations in the type of rail used, in the manner of securing or combining it with the main-track rail, and in other similar features of construction may be employed without, however, departing from the essential features of my invention. I do not therefore wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the particular forms herein shown, but to claim my invention in any form covered by the accompanying claims.

l/Vhat I claim is 1. The combination with a main rail and a movable and tapered switch-point adapted to lie with its tapered end against the side of the said main rail, of a guard-rail on the side of said main rail opposite from the movable switch-point and the wheel-flanges and in position to engage the side surface of the wheels opposite the flanges to thereby relieve a short length of the movable end of said movable switch-point from the pressure of the wheelflanges.

2. The combination with a main rail and a movable and tapered switch-point adapted to lie with its tapered end against the side of the said main rail. of a guard-rail on the side of said main rail opposite from the movable switch-point and from the wheel-flanges, and in position to engage the side surfaces of the wheels to thus relieve a short length of the movable end of the said switch-point, from the pressure of the wheel-flanges, and means for adjusting the distance of said guard-rail from the said main rail.

3. The combination with a main rail and a movable and tapered switch-point adapted to lie with its tapered end against the side of the said main rail, of a guard-rail on the side of said main rail opposite from the movable switch-point and from the wheel-flanges, the central portion of said guard-rail having a bearing-surface approximately parallel to the gage-line of the main rail, and in position to engage the side surface of the wheel-treads to relieve the point of the movable switch-rail from the pressure of the wheel-flanges in passing, the ends of said guard-rail ha ing bearing-surfaces flaring away from th main rail. 4:. The combination with fixed ain rails, a movable switch-point and flanged wheels having the distance between the beating side surfaces of opposite wheel-flanges sufficient to permit a limited movement of said wheels transversely of the track, and means acting independently of the wheel-flanges for holding said flanges away from the switch-point in passing.

5. The combination with fixed main rails forming a track, a turnout comprising a movable switch-point and flanged wheels adapted to run on said rails, said wheels and rails being of unequal gages whereby there may be a lateral shifting of the wheels upon the track,

of means independent of said rails and wheelflanges for determining the lateral position of said wheels while passing the movable end of the switch-point.

6. The combination with fixed main rails, a movable switch-point and flanged wheels having the distance between the bearing side surfaces of opposite wheel-flanges sufficient to permit a limited movement of said wheels transversely of the track and means for holding the wheel-flanges away from the switchpoint in passing consisting of aguard -rail outside of and above that one of said main rails against which the switch -point rests whereby said guard-rail may contact with the side surface of. said wheel opposite to its flange.

7 The combination with fixed main rails forming a track, a turnout comprising a movable switch-point and flanged wheels adapted to run on said rails, said wheels and rails being of unequal gages whereby there maybe a lateral shifting of the wheels upon the track, of means independent of said rails for determining the lateral position of the said wheels while passing the movable end of the switchpoint, said means consisting of a guard-rail outside of and above that main rail against which the switch-point rests and adapted to contact with the side surface of the wheels opposite to the flanges.

Signed at New York, N. Y. this 18th day of January, 1904.

JESSE I. BREWVER.

Vitnesses:

FREDERICK WV. GARDINER, JOHN W. GRIEVE. 

